While each state's P-12 education system is unique, it is clear that there is a set of 10 essential elements that are critical to a longitudinal data system*:

1. A unique statewide student identifier that connects student data across key databases across years
2. Student-level enrollment, demographic and program participation information
3. The ability to match individual students’ test records from year to year to measure academic growth
4. Information on untested students and the reasons they were not tested
5. A teacher identifier system with the ability to match teachers to students
6. Student-level transcript information, including information on courses completed and grades earned
7. Student-level college readiness test scores
8. Student-level graduation and dropout data
9. The ability to match student records between the P–12 and higher education systems
10. A state data audit system assessing data quality, validity and reliability

This map shows how many of these essential elements each state currently has based on responses to the 2007 NCEA survey of states about their current data collection systems.

*These elements are necessary but not sufficient for a robust P-12 longitudinal data system. Click here to see details about other fundamentals in designing a longitudinal data system, including detailed information about privacy protection.